Is road required?

PUBLISHED: 13:21 01 October 2009 | UPDATED: 14:30 06 May 2010

SIR — Your readers will be aware that there are proposals afoot to construct a Western Orbital road at the south-west perimeter of St Albans. Has any convincing case been made out for the need for such a road? If it starts at the top of Bluehouse Hill

SIR - Your readers will be aware that there are proposals afoot to construct a 'Western Orbital' road at the south-west perimeter of St Albans.

Has any convincing case been made out for the need for such a road? If it starts at the top of Bluehouse Hill and runs along the course of Bedmond Lane to join the former M10, whom do the planners think it will help?

Drivers from the eastern side of St Albans will continue to access the M1 via the A414 and the Park Street roundabout. Those wanting the M25 west will continue along the A405 to Junction 21A as now. Drivers from the NW or SW side of the city wanting M1 North will go to Junction 9 beyond Redbourn.

Experience does not leave us with much faith in the reliability of Hertfordshire Highways traffic predictions. Or is this a matter of invention becoming the mother of necessity?